Uzumaki-Taisho

Chapter Eight

By FullMetalRuromaru

Disclaimer: I own neither Inuyasha nor Naruto.

-----

And feathers began to fall from the sky...

-----

Sesshomaru gave a slow, silent growl, lip curling back over his teeth and displaying a lovely view of his long, slender fangs. Tsunade cursed and stood. Jiraiya fell out of his chair.

The Hokage and the Kazekage turned slowly to look at each other.

Then the Kazekage's bodyguards jumped forward, and an explosion went off.

-----

Naruto was leaning against the wall in the fighters' box when the genjutsu began. He quickly dispelled the illusion, as did everybody else in the box- even Shikamaru, though he pretended to keel over asleep.

This Naruto snarled at. Shikamaru may have been his comrade, and- perhaps- a friend, but you did not pretend to be asleep in the middle of an invasion that could destroy your entire village and kill people you knew and liked.

He landed a sharp kick to the Nara's ribs, sending him skidding along the ground for a few feet.

"Get up!"

Shikamaru obeyed hastily.

Naruto cut a terrifying figure in the middle of the beginning invasion, with people collapsing left and right and dust and smoke wreathing the air. His clothing was, amazingly, still immaculate, as was his face; but his upper lip was pulled back in a snarl, exposing a set of very sharp teeth. His eyes were now mostly red, with some yellow, and very little blue; and his whisker marks were a lot darker, and getting more so by the minute. His head was tilted slightly back, hair still fluttering in the winds from the explosion, his ears were pricked forward, and his claws had grown a half-inch more and curved, coming to wicked points, slashing the air even in their immobile state.

The only ones still in the box besides him were Shino and Shikamaru. Sasuke was still down in the arena, though they couldn't see him through the haze; so was Gaara. Temari and Kankuro had vanished off to parts unknown after their forfeiting. They could not see anyone besides those in the stands directly to either side of the fighters' box; those were all civilians, and not a single one was awake.

"Get up," Naruto snarled again to Shikamaru. The shadow user hastily obeyed.

Shino had walked over to the side of the box as his insects relayed information back to him at a remarkable rate. "The brush in the arena is burning. The other new Gennin are all unconscious save for Sasuke-san and Hinata-san. Taisho-sama"- Naruto blinked, then realized that this must be Sesshomaru- "has left the Kage box, as have the others sitting there. The Kazekage appears to be someone else in disguise- not someone my insects have ever seen, nor felt even a residual trail of their chakra. His bodyguards were chopped in half. It appears that they were actually four people in hiding, holding a combined Henge; none are injured. Hokage-sama is on top of the stadium roof with the false Kazekage. His bodyguards have erected a large barrier around them. My insects cannot fly through; they burn if they touch it. They cannot tell me where Taisho-sama is at this moment, but Jiraiya-sama and Tsunade-sama are just outside the barrier. One of the Sand Jounin seems to be directing things; he is down in the arena. Maito-san is there, fighting him and- one of our own ANBU. A short one, normal black cloak. My insects have seen this mask before. It is not the same man. Most likely he was killed and his uniform stolen to provide a disguise. Tenten-san is heading to the infirmary. The Shinobi that were in the arena are spread out, fighting Sound-nin. They include some of the Gennin parents and siblings, but they are all at least Chuunin, and go up through Jounin. There are several ANBU by the barrier. Hatake-san and a lady who smells of medicine are in a balcony overlooking the arena. They are moving downward towards it. That is the state of things at this point."

Shino and Shikamaru were both looking at him expectantly. Naruto looked right back. "What is it?"

Shikamaru answered. "Well?"

"Well, what?"

"We would like orders," Shino clarified.

Naruto gave them stares of disbelief. "I'm only a foreign Gennin! Ask someone else!"

"There is nobody else we can ask," Shino said in a monotone. Naruto glared. Just what he needed...

-----

Hinata was standing over Kiba's unconscious body, ready to defend him. She wasn't exactly close to him, but he was still a Konoha shinobi. It was her duty to help her comrade.

She caught something as she activated her Byakugan and spun around, then froze abruptly in horror. Instead of Shinobi, she was facing... monsters.

'Abominations' might have been a better word. They were insects, mainly, with a few dogs and rats thrown in; but enlarged far beyond natural means, and twisted beyond belief. They gave off a foul odor, and projected bloodlust. They looked like something out of the Forest of Death, only a thousand times worse. And hundreds of them were streaming into the arena- many heading toward her.

Understandably, she froze.

She had seen these before, when they were traveling to Inuyama, but only at a distance. Nevertheless, they had given her terrible nightmares. They were youkai, Shippo had told her- demons of the legend world. Perhaps not so much a legend, though- the lands around Inuyama were full of them, as were other, farther places. Apparently in the Elemental countries, there were enough humans that the weaker youkai and then even the medium and then some of the stronger ones had been driven away or killed. Only a few were left- the Bijou, used in stories to frighten children and even a few who were not, but sealed away whenever they emerged. The Kyuubi was one of those. Then, he had said, were those who could assume human form- or something close to it. They never seemed fully normal, of course- which was why one often found them in Shinobi villages, or those of their descent, part human and part demon. They generally fit in better there, among the eccentrics and killers of the world.

Hinata had formulated her own theories about that. Perhaps they did not only roam the lands around Inuyama, but had colonized it as well? There was the matter of Shippo's fox tail, and Sesshomaru had one from a dog. Both of them had pointed ears, as well- and Naruto not only had animal ears, but he had multiple tails. And then there were the incredibly large tunnels inside the mountain city. Larger demons would need a way to get around without crushing everything...

The Hyuuga heiress started to realize that they were almost on her. She readied her Jyuuken and cut off one of the front runners, but bent over double, gasping and wheezing and coughing up blood.

'What a time...'

She tried to straighten up, but she could smell the stench, feel the air blowing off of them as what might have been a praying mantis took a swipe. There was no more time. She would be dead, and so would Kiba...

And then a much stronger wind circled her, and the stench of dirty, acid-like blood filled the air.

Sesshomaru picked Kiba's body up, threw him over his shoulder, then tucked Hinata under one arm and jumped into the air again. Behind him he left at least ninety weak demons, scattered in pieces, their blood burning and hissing on the stone.

Touching down on the ground, Sesshomaru turned rapidly and sped to where the stairs led out into the arena. Rin and Kakashi were just reaching the doorway.

Sesshomaru left Kiba on the ground and gently handed Hinata to Rin. "Her lungs were damaged in a preliminary round. Please try and fix them. If you'll excuse me, I'll be right back."

He jumped away again, moving faster than the eye could see. He caught a brief glimpse of Kakashi starting to wake Kiba and Rin healing Hinata, then he was on top of the roof again, but this time near the barrier.

One of the ANBU had evidently tried to get in; their burning body was lying on the tiled roof. The other members of the squad were crouched at the side of the barrier; Jiraiya and Tsunade were there as well, looking in at Sarutobi- who was opening up a fight with Orochimaru. The snake Sannin was summoning multiple coffins. As he watched, the Hokage repulsed the third one but failed to stop the other two.

Sesshomaru, drawing the Tensaiga, walked up to the barrier. Tsunade called out to him. "It'll burn you if you touch it, genius."

He looked back coldly. "That is why I do not intend to touch it."

He drew his hand back and threw the sword through the barrier.

It made a harsh sizzling noise as it went through, but the barrier could not keep out a sword much stronger than it, and the flames did not affect it. Its aura kept them off of itself.

Orochimaru and the Sandaime paused for a moment to look at the sword. Orochimaru was frowning as he glanced from the sword to Sesshomaru, but Sarutobi was by the Tensaiga in mere seconds.

"Will it accept me?" he asked, glancing at the taiyoukai.

"If you ask it nicely," Sesshomaru replied, turning to go. "You're only human, after all."

"But you don't need this?"

"There is nobody here with the strength to make me need that."

He said it flatly but without pretense, the statement coming not from arrogance but from something that he knew as a fact. Then he turned and jumped gracefully off the roof. He had something to retrieve from the house they were staying in that he thought would benefit Hinata.

That Jyuuken strike was not made of chakra, after all... for human chakra was blue, and that had been a pale ivory color.

-----

Naruto, Shino, and Shikamaru made their way delicately down the stairs. Every so often Shino would relate another piece of new information- Sakura had woken herself up, for example. They were joined by the pink-haired gennin on the way down, and at the foot of the stairs, they met Kakashi and Rin, along with the still-snoring Kiba and the now fully healed Hinata.

"Orders, Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked. As he did so, Sakura stomped past him and kicked her sleeping teammate awake.

"Just kill any Sand or Sound-nin you can," he drawled. "Naruto, I'd suggest going after Gaara. Shino, Shikamaru, Kiba- you three go with him and take on Gaara's siblings. Fight to kill."

Kiba swallowed nervously. Shikamaru grunted. Shino had no reaction. Out of the three, it looked as if he was the only one to have killed someone.

"Consider yourself Chuunin, Naruto," Kakashi continued. "You are the leader of this operation. Kill the Sand Siblings and make sure Gaara's demon causes no damage to the village."

Naruto nodded, then turned abruptly. "Come on."

The four-man team jumped away, Akamaru following them closely. Down the stands and across the arena, past where Sasuke was hiding, and out of the hole in the wall that the sand siblings had left through. Behind them was chaos, and more lay ahead.

-----

Sesshomaru raced from his home, the plain weapon in his hand wrapped in a clean white cloth and another long, thin package slung over one arm with a cord. It was only a hint, but it was possible Hinata could use these. And if she could, it would be a very powerful weapon indeed- especially with all the ravenous demons that seemed to want to eat the villagers.

Speaking of which...

Sesshomaru took a quick pause to stop and kill a few demons on his way back to the arena.

-----
Rin had barely finished healing Hinata when Sesshomaru touched down again. Sakura was still there, as was Kakashi, but nobody else was.

"This is the best I can do on such short notice," she told the Taiyoukai as he settled his feet on the ground. "She'll need more healing later, but it will do for now. Just be careful and don't get in any close fights."

"This weapon cannot be used as well in a close fight," Sesshomaru told them both, handing over the first package, then taking the cord off of his hand and giving it to Hinata. "It is just as well."

Hinata unwrapped it and stared at it. Rin looked over her shoulder.

"A bow?" the Hyuuga heiress said uncertainly.

"That's nothing special," Rin said critically.

Sesshomaru gave her a slightly amused look and leaned in towards Hinata. "In the right hands, a bow is the most deadly of weapons to those invading... not the shinobi, but the youkai."

She stared up at him. How did a ninja still have such trusting eyes? It mystified him.

"Look inside yourself," Sesshomaru commanded. "Under your chakra."

Hinata gave an internal sigh and closed her eyes. This really did sound like a cheesy pitch.

She delved deeper and deeper inside herself. The sound of the chaos outside quieted. She reached her pool of blue chakra and continued on. All too soon, she reached the bottom. Was that really all she had? She would have to work on that. It could be her death one day.

She landed on the bottom. A minute later, a strong ripple ran through the floor, throwing her off her feet.

She stared at the ground in dismay. How long had that been happening? It was almost certainly messing with her chakra control!

Sesshomaru's voice cut in from outside. "There is something under there that wants to get out. It wants you to use it. Pull it out."

Easy for him to say, she thought. She knelt down and placed her hands against the floor.

It felt alive. Warm. It pulsed in time with her heartbeat.

Come out? she thought loudly. Please?

Ivory light erupted around her. She got the definite impression of 'why didn't you ask sooner?' before it carried her farther and farther up, back into the real world.

-----

Rin was staring at Hinata when she opened her eyes. "Wha...?" she started to ask as she looked down at herself, then stopped.

The ivory energy had enveloped her entire body, gently ruffling her clothing and giving her a warm, peaceful feeling.

Sesshomaru knelt and bowed his head to her.

"Hail, new priestess, commander of that which is sacred."

Rin stared at him, clearly a very powerful being, bowing his head to a thirteen-year-old, albeit one who was wrapped in an energy more powerful than anything she'd ever felt before.

Then Sesshomaru stood, letting his control fade slightly, and she took it back as she was forced to her knees by the sheer amount of power in the air.

That power she truly believed could be matched by no other. It was not only her mind and senses telling her this; but something in her soul and in her subconscious told her that she knew this from something long past, something past her mind's view but something that her soul remembered quite clearly.

It was an almost childlike belief, and there in the arena, she remembered one fragment and one fragment only- the single pale arm encircling her to keep her from harm.

In that moment, down on her knees and looking up at this magnificent and powerful being, Rin felt like a child again, looking up at the Hokage as he passed her. But it wasn't the Hokage, but someone far stronger. Someone who would not fail. Someone for whom failing was not even a possibility. Not because it was necessary, but because that someone was simply incapable of losing.

And she felt like she had a father again.

-----

Sesshomaru looked down at Rin as the woman's eyes closed, first partly, then all the way, and she slowly crumpled onto her side.

Hinata was still staring stiffly ahead. He coughed sharply and she broke out of it.

"You can concentrate the energy best through a bow. Stand on top of the arena and shoot down all the youkai invading. Only bother with the shinobi if they get too close. I will leave these two"- he indicated Kakashi and Rin-"with you. They will help to protect you, but you should wake her up first. I must be off. There is much to fight today."

"What is this power?" Hinata asked, gazing down at the bow held in her hands. The other, unopened package lay at her feet; she bent down and, picking it up, tugged open the top. Inside were a number of arrows.

"There is no time to explain now," the Taiyoukai snapped. "Use it, and I will tell you when there is enough time."

He picked Rin up, gently for one so cold, and jumped up to the top of the stadium. Kakashi and Hinata followed him as he set her down.

Sesshomaru nodded to them. "She will awaken soon. Kakashi, defend her and Hinata. Hinata... remove the demons."

He received a short nod from one and a tentative nod from the other and jumped away again.

-----

Naruto, Shikamaru, Shino, Kiba, and Akamaru sped through the forest, following the trail of the sand siblings. Ahead they could feel Gaara's menacing chakra, eclipsing his siblings'; behind they could hear the screams, from civilians and shinobi alike, and also eerie howls. Naruto knew these to be from youkai. The others did not and were therefore thoroughly scared- except for perhaps Shino. It was, as always, impossible to tell with him.

The four- five, counting the dog- increased speed on a mutual instinct. They came out on a clearing where the three siblings stood on the ground, the two older ones supporting their younger brother between them.

Kankuro looked back in shock, then narrowed his eyes. "Temari. I'll hold them off. Get Gaara to safety back in the village. It's the only place you'll be safe."

He and his sister exchanged one last look, knowing it might be the last they ever took. Then Temari set off again with Gaara, and Kankuro turned to face the team of four as Karasu slunk over his shoulders.

"Well? Come on."

Shikamaru looked at Naruto. "Well?"

Naruto sighed. "Shino. Keep him here. Kill him if you have to, but keep in mind that he'd be a powerful political prisoner. Also keep in mind we'd rather have you alive than him."

The now-reduced team jumped away again, leaving Shino to face the puppet master.

-----

A/N: I'll end it there, shall I? It seems to me like I'm now updating faster but with shorter chapters... ah, well. There were always going to be a lot of chapters in this fanfiction, so it's better I'll probably be updating faster now...

I know the Japanese is incorrect. IF ANYONE CAN SPEAK JAPANESE, PLEASE TELL ME HOW TO SAY THAT IN THE MOST FORMAL WAY POSSIBLE!!! I spent an hour trying to translate it and I couldn't get it right... cries comically I'll be taking it next year, but I'm not yet... so for now, my Japanese is terrible.

And in this chapter, Hinata-chan FINALLY gets a cool power! Now we just have Sasuke left. Poor, poor Sasuke, he must feel so neglected; no Sharingan and no awesome powers... but don't worry! evil laugh I'll be remedying both of those problems soon...